Act 27:28 | NETfull | STEP | They took soundings and found the water was twenty fathoms deep; when they had sailed a little farther they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms deep.

Acts 27:28

28 They took soundings ^{▼▼ Grk “Heaving the lead, they found.” The participle βολίσαντες (bolisantes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. See also BDAG 180 s.v. βολίζω. Although the term is used twice in this verse (and thus is technically not a NT hapax legomenon), it occurs nowhere else in the NT.} and found the water was twenty fathoms ^{▼▼ A fathom is about 6 feet or just under 2 meters (originally the length of a man’s outstretched arms). This was a nautical technical term for measuring the depth of water. Here it was about 120 ft (36 m).} deep; when they had sailed a little farther ^{▼▼ L&N 15.12, “βραχὺ δὲ διαστήσαντες ‘when they had gone a little farther’ Ac 27:28.”} they took soundings again and found it was fifteen fathoms ^{▼▼ Here the depth was about 90 ft (27 m).} deep.